Magnetic door lock



Aug. 28, 1951 w. G. SHERMAN MAGNETIC DOOR LOCK Filed Sept. 12. 1947mvmrox. WILBUR 6'. SHERMAN BY AGENT FIG. 3

' Patented An. 28, 19 51 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGNETIC DOOR LOCKWilbur G. Sherman, San Diego, Calif. Application September 12, 1947,Serial No. 773,700

4 Claims. (01. 292-1) Myinvention relates to a magnetic door latch, moreparticularb for use in connection with refrigerator doors, cabinets, orother similar household appliances, and the objects of my invention are:

' First; to provide a magnetic door latch of this class which may beoperated by the foot of a person so that both hands may be used incarrying articles to and from a refrigerator or other cabinet while theopening and closing of the door may be accomplished by the foot and kneeof the operator.

Second; to provide a magnetic door latch of this class which eliminatesthe conventional handle in connection with a refrigerator door, wherebythe exterior of the door is neat and free of obstructions.

Third; to provide a magnetic door latch of this class which employspermanent magnets movable relatively to each other, whereby,v the doorof a cabinet is repelled therefrom when the magnets are in one positionand attracted thereto when in another position, caused by reversal ofthe poles of the magnets in the cabinet and the door respectively.

Fourth; to provide a magnetic door latch of this class which does nothave any critical wearing parts.

Fifth; to provide a magnetic door latch of this class which is very easyand convenient to operate.

Sixth; to provide a magnetic door latch of this class which is verysimple and economical of construction, eflicient in operation and whichwill not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel feaimres of construction,combination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will behereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in theappended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and tothe characters of references thereon, forming a part of this applicationin which: Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a refrigerator showingmy magnetic door latch in connection therewith; Fig. 2 is a sectionalview taken from the line 22 8. and the spring 9 constitute the principalparts and portions of my magnetic door latch.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the door 2 of the cabinet I isprovided with an internally fixed mounting plate 8, on which the magnetsI are secured and rigidly supported. These magnets I are positionedinternally of the door 2 and extend slightly beyond the mounting plate 8into adjacent relationship with a non-magnetic plate 80. close to asimilar plate 5a so that close spaced relationship of the magnets 6 andI is attained for efficient operation thereof. The guides 5 provide asliding support for the slide bar 4 on which the magnets i are secured.These magnets 6 operate adjacent the plate 5a which is a nonmagneticplate, and the foot pedal 3 is connected to the slide bar 4 and projectsoutwardly of the 'front side of the cabinet I below the door 2 as shownbest in Fig. 2 of the drawing.- The spring of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is anenlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawing. a

The cabinet I, cabinet door 2, foot pedal 3, slide bar 4, guides5,-magnets' 8 and 1, mounting plate 9 is an extension spring tending tohold the foot pedal 3 upwardly together with the bar 4 and magnets 6carried thereon. It will be noted that the magnets 6, bar 4, and theguides 5 are positioned in the cabinet I, and only related to themagnets I by the attraction between the magnets 6 and I. Each of themagnets 6 is provided with a north and south pole and each of themagnets I is provided with similar north and south poles so that theslidable relationship of the bar 4 carrying the magnets i shifts anequal distance to the space relationship of the poles of each of theindividual magnets.

The operation of my magnetic door latch is substantially as follows:

When it is desired to open the door 2, hinged to the cabinet I by thehinges 2a, the operator presses the foot pedal 3 downwardly by foot,extending the spring 9 and shifting the poles of the magnets 6relatively to the poles of the magnets 1, so that repulsion of themagnets 1 occurs which swings the door 2 outwardly on the hinges 2aopening the same, it being noted that each magnet 6 and 1 is providedwith north and south poles, and that shifting of the bar 4 in connectionwith the foot pedal 3 shifts the magnets 6 vertically as indicated bydash lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings, wherein the poles of the magnetsare reversed, causing repulsion of the magnets I as hereinbeforedescribed. As indicated by dash lines, the magnets Ii correspond withcertain magnets 1, and in this dash line position, each magnet 6 bridgestwo of the magnets l with the exception of the lower magnet 6 whichpasses below the lowest magnet I. When the operator releases the footpedal 3 the spring 9 forces the magnets upwardly into the solid lineposition as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, wherein the magnets 6attract the magnets I and cause positive closing of the door 2relatively to the cabinet I when forced sufliciently near to be withinthe range of the magnets 6 and l in their attractive relationship toeach other as indicated by solid lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Though I have shown and described a particular construction, combinationand arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited tothis particular construction, combination and arrangement, but desire toinclude in the scope of my invention the construction, combination andarrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a magnetic door latch of the class described, for a pivotallymounted door having a jamb comprising a plurality of stationarilymounted magnets in said door, arranged in spaced relation to each otherequal to the distance between poles of each of the individual magnets,and a plurality of magnets in said jamb, slidably mounted therein, andhaving their poles aligned with opposite poles of said magnets in saiddoor, whereby the alignment of the poles of the magnets in said jamb andsaid door may be reversed upon sliding the magnets in said jamb adistance equal to the distance between the individual poles of themagnets on the door.

2. In a magnetic door latch of the class described, the combination of apivotally mounted door, a jamb for said door, a plurality ofstationarily mounted magnets in said door having their opposite polesarranged in spaced relation to each other equal to the distance betweenpoles of each of the individual magnets. and a plurality of similarlyarranged magnets in said jamb, the poles of each magnet in the jambbeing aligned with opposite poles of said magnets in the door when thedoor is in latched condition, a slide bar on which the magnets in thejamb are mounted, the poles of adjacent magnets in the door and the jambbeing reversed upon sliding movement of said bar.

3. In a magnetic door latch 01 the class described, the combination of apivotally mounted door, a lamb for said door, a plurality ofstationarily mounted magnets in said door having their opposite polesarranged in spaced relation to each other equal to the distance betweenpoles of adjacent individual magnets, and a plurality of similarlyarranged magnets in said jamb, slidably mounted therein, aligned withsaid magnets in said door, whereby, poles of adjacent magnets in saidjamb and said door may be reversed, a bar on which said slidably mountedmagnets are secured, said bar having a foot pedal connected therewithprojecting outwardly below said door.

4. In a magnetic door latch of the class described, the combination of apivoted door, a cabinet to which said door is pivoted, a plurality ofpermanent magnets stationarily mounted in said door in a row havingtheir adjacent poles spaced equal to the distance between poles oi theindividual magnets, a slide bar in said cabinet aligned with the polesof said magnet, and secondary magnets having their poles similarlyarranged in equally spaced relationship to each other on said slide baradjacent said first mentioned magnets, whereby, attraction of said doorto said cabinet is caused by magnetic attraction of said first andsecond magnets toward each other and repulsion of said magnets on saiddoor from said magnets in said lamb may be accomplished by sliding saidbar equal to the distance between poles of said magnets.

WILEBUR G. SHERMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

